


The First Hello

by tinypinkmouse



Series: Words (soulmate au) [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 16:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13080585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypinkmouse/pseuds/tinypinkmouse
Summary: Barry has always thought that everyone has a soulmate.Companion piece toWords on My Skinfrom Barry's PoV.





	The First Hello

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Первое "Привет"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13183185) by [marianna_night](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marianna_night/pseuds/marianna_night)



> I seriously thought I'd posted this ages ago, but apparently I didn't? I mean I can't find it posted here so obviously I can't have. Oh, well. Here it is now.
> 
> I still like Len's PoV better, I think.

They start learning their letters in kindergarten and Barry already knows how to write his name. He also knows _Len_ and _mommy_ and _daddy_. He doesn't know the rest yet, but mommy says he learns fast.

When some of the other kids talk about how they want to try and see if they're going to get an answer, Barry isn't really sure what they mean. He nods along anyway. He'll ask mommy when she comes to pick him up.

"Honey," mommy says with a laugh that makes Barry smile. He likes his mommy's laugh. "Not everyone has a soulmate right away, some people have to wait for contact."

Barry has always thought that everyone has a soulmate. Mommy and daddy can write to each other, and there's always been someone there to draw pictures with Barry, even before he knew it was Len. It's just what people do.

What mommy is saying just sounds wrong. "Are you sure?" Barry asks, frowning up at mommy.

"I am," mommy says, still smiling. "Your Len is special."

It will take longer before Barry realises that some people never have soulmates at all, for now he just feels bad for the kids that don't already have someone.

*

When Iris writes her first _hello_ on her hand and doesn't get an answer, it makes her so sad that it makes Barry hurt too.

"You'll just have to wait a bit longer," Barry tells her, trying to make her feel better.

It'll be two years before it turns out that Barry is right, but right now they don't know that. Still, Iris gathers her courage and gives Barry a slightly wobbly smile.

"You're right, Baer, I can wait."

He doesn't mention Len at all for almost a month after that, because he thinks it might make Iris sad again.

He asks mom and dad when his first contact was. They don't remember. Barry doesn't remember either, and it makes him feel guilty. It's supposed to be special, right?

Mom hugs him when he tells her. "What you have with Len is special Barry," she says.

*

_Sorry I didn't answer. I was working._

Barry looks at the words on his arm. He'd wanted to tell Len about science class, but Len hadn't answered. Of course Len didn't always answer straight away, just like Barry couldn't answer if he was at school.

Or when he's having dinner with his parents like now.

"I think Len is a _grown-up_ ," Barry says still looking at his arm. He's never really thought about it before, but now he knows he's right.

His parents look at each other. "What makes you say that?" his mom asks.

"He works," Barry points out.

"I think you might be right about that," his dad says. "It's okay though, right?"

Barry isn't sure why his dad is asking him that, but he nods because his dad looks worried. "Of course."

He pokes at his food for a while, and then looks pleadingly at his mom. "Can I go?"

"Are you sure you're finished?"

He just nods eagerly, and his mom smiles.

"Alright Barry, I'll clean up for you. Just say hi to Len from me."

"Thanks mom!" Barry says before rushing to his room.

 _It's okay_ , Barry writes under Len's words. _mom says hi._

*

After Barry's mom dies, Len is the only one who doesn't tell him there was no man in yellow.

 _It would probably be easier on you if you didn't tell people about it_ , Len writes to him, but he never tells Barry he should stop. _It's your decision_ , Len writes instead.

They all think that Barry's dad did it, and Barry has to keep telling them they're wrong. No matter how difficult it makes things for Barry.

He only writes to Len in the evenings now. When Barry's in bed and Joe has already tucked him in. Barry doesn't want anyone to see what he writes on his arms, and Len thinks it's better if he's a secret now.

They took away Barry's dad, he doesn't want them to take away Len too.

Of course, Iris already knows about Len. Barry doesn't know if that means Joe knows too. But no one has asked him about it, and Barry doesn't say anything.

The night Len tells him that he's in jail and that he's talked with Barry's dad, Barry cries for a long time. He presses his head into his pillow and tries to be quiet. He hopes he doesn't wake up Joe.

Barry cries because his dad is okay. He cries because part of him is _happy_ that Len is in jail. Because he can ask Len to tell his dad that Barry loves him, and misses him.

He promises himself that he will keep all of Len's secrets, whatever they are.

Barry cries until he falls asleep.

*

"...to write anything important, she just never writes back." Barry catches the end of a sentence from the girl sitting in front of him on the bus.

"God, that sucks," her friend, sitting next to her, says. "At least I get answers, even if we both still need dictionaries if we're trying for anything more complicated than 'hi!'"

Barry feels weird listening in on other people talking about their soulmates. But after overhearing that conversation, he starts paying more attention.

He's never thought about how he tells Len everything, even the things he can't tell Joe, or even Iris. He never thinks there's anything strange about how Len shares his own secrets with Barry, even if some of them probably would get Len sent to jail, or maybe even worse, if Barry ever told anyone.

They're soulmates. Soulmates share things with each other.

Right?

He can't really ask people. Asking about someone's soulmate isn't really done, and they'd probably want to know why he's asking in the first place.

So Barry goes to his dad, because Joe has finally stopped trying to talk Barry out of visiting.

The questions make Barry's dad shake his head, but he's smiling all the while. "Even your mom and me never told each other everything. Especially not before we'd met."

Neither of them mention Barry's soulmate at all.

That night is the first time Barry asks Len if they're ever going to meet each other.

 _Idiot_ , Barry writes on the back of his wrist once Len is done telling him about all the things that could go wrong.

How likely would it even be for anyone to find out, just because they saw each other? That isn't what Barry writes though. _But fine, I don't want to be a liability,_ he scribbles hastily instead, so Len doesn't get the wrong impression.

Len's answer appears just as quickly. _I just don't want you involved in any of this._

In his life Len means, and that kind of hurts, but Barry knows Len is just trying to protect him. It helps, if just a little.

*

_Made Lisa laugh_ , Len writes when Barry asks him how Mick and Lisa took the news about Barry working for the police.

 _Is that good or bad?_ Barry writes.

 _Not sure,_ the answer reads. More letters follow almost immediately and Barry waits. _You realise that if they knew about me, you'd lose the job, right?_

What Barry really wants from his work is a way to prove his dad is innocent. If working for the CCPD will get him closer to that, then he'll do that for as long as he can.

 _Well, they don't know. You're more important than some job anyway_ , Barry writes.

It takes a while before Len writes anything at all.

*

Lightning strikes, and suddenly they're telling him it's nine months later.

The first thing Barry thinks when he wakes up is _Len_. And as soon as he's alone he scrawls out _I'm sorry it took so long_ on his arm, not sure what he really means.

There's too many things happening and he doesn't have the time to tell Len any of it. When he finally has a moment to himself he can't remember why all the reasons he shouldn't see Len matter.

 _Where are you? An address. Please?_ Barry writes, holding on to the black marker with shaky fingers. Because he can't do this. He's woken up to something impossible and he can't do this alone.

At least, maybe, with this new speed of his he won't be a liability to Len.

So, Barry runs and runs. All the way into Len's arms.

The lightning in his blood sings when Len touches him, and Barry thinks he never wants to let go.

*

When Len kisses him, the only thing Barry can think is that his mom was right.

What they have is special.


End file.
